TWEETEREST

Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) has provided link with
Ghana Internet Exchange Point thereby making it the first of such
interconnection in the sub-region, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek has
learnt.

An Internet exchange point

Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) has provided link with
Ghana Internet Exchange Point thereby making it the first of such
interconnection in the sub-region, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek has
learnt.

An Internet exchange point (IXP) is a physical infrastructure
that allows several Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and network
operators to exchange traffic between their networks, generally
referred to as autonomous systems, by means of mutual peering
agreements, which allow traffic to be exchanged at no cost.

Reacting to this feat achieved by IXPN, Mohammed Rudman,
managing director, IXPN, told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that the
link between Nigeria Internet exchange point and Ghana Internet
exchange point was achieved last week and that with the
interconnection of the two exchanges, internet traffic among the
two countries will now be exchange locally without it having to go
to Europe and come back.

“The linking of Nigeria Internet Exchange with Ghana’s Internet
Exchange will save the two countries foreign exchange and cost as
internet traffic between internet service providers in the two
countries will be exchanged within the region as against the
previous situation when such traffic will have to go to Europe
before coming back to the region.

“This was achieved as a result of a well-articulated growth
strategy and vision to be the leading IXP in Africa and a one stop
company to service and content providers across Nigeria and
beyond,” he said.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations revealed that the
submarine fibre linking the two exchange points is ACE fibre
provided by Dolfin Telecomms.

It was also gathered that Medallion Data centre is hosting the
server designated for the link on Nigeria side while National
Information Technology Agency of Ghana Data centre is hosting the
country’s side of the server.

Ike Nnamani, chief executive officer, Medallion, said that
linking the two exchange points is the first of its kind in the
region and a good initiative aimed at reducing latency between the
two countries as well keep African content local.

“We expect in near future for other internet exchange points in
the sub-region to be linked so that we can keep the regional
traffic within the region without it having to travel to Europe
before coming to its destination in the region. Such
interconnection will help our educational institutions in sharing
of information as most of them are connected to their countries
internet exchange point,” he added.

Organizations that connect their networks to an IXP benefits
from reduced reliance on expensive international transit for
exchanging local traffic between themselves, and improved
efficiency of their operations and communications. Not only will
this reduce transport costs and network latency, but will also
ensure faster access to local content because local traffic is
exchanged locally, rather than through one or more third party
networks including international links. This exchange of traffic
between networks at an IXP is known as ‘peering’.